


be careful when you hold my girl

by Fives (janfives90)



Series: ain't going out like that [6]
Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, weird west au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24834298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/janfives90/pseuds/Fives
Summary: “Your town outlawed the use of magic, but it’s not against the law to exist as a magician. Some towns… it’s not that simple.”“Are you going to make me an outlaw, Nolan?” Alyssa asks with a grin.Emma rolls her eyes and gives a small, sarcastic tap against the brim of her hat. “No, ma’am, I sure hope I don’t.”
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Series: ain't going out like that [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1500725
Comments: 2
Kudos: 28





	be careful when you hold my girl

“Stop.”

Alyssa frowns as she stops her horse next to Emma’s, on a trail overlooking the town of St. James. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ve been through a lot of towns,” Emma murmurs, squinting down at the buildings below. “You get a feel for them. Something’s not right.”

“Not right in what way?”

“Your town outlawed the use of magic, but it’s not against the law to  _ exist  _ as a magician. Some towns… it’s not that simple.”

“Are you going to make me an outlaw, Nolan?” Alyssa asks with a grin.

Emma rolls her eyes and gives a small, sarcastic tap against the brim of her hat. “No, ma’am, I sure hope I don’t.”

“Well, regardless.” Alyssa pats her horse gently. “We need to go down there. You said that your source last found information on him here.”

“Yes. We just need to be careful.” Emma pushes her sleeves down so that they cover her forearms. “Sometimes towns that are  _ extremely _ against magic will have a magician in their employ who is on the lookout for tattoos on incoming strangers. Keep your arm hidden when you’re in public.”

“You’re really worried,” Alyssa murmurs.

Emma points at a tree they’re stopped at. “Do you see that symbol?”

Alyssa looks at the faint blue symbol glowing in the bark. “Yeah.”

“It means that there’s danger ahead. Only people like us can see it.”

Alyssa takes in a long, slow breath. “Well. Shit.”

* * *

“Do you want to split up?” Emma asks when they ride into town.

“To do what?”

“You can get us a room at the local inn - carefully, remember - and I’ll just get a feel for the place. Make sure it’ll be okay if we stay here.”

“Alright.” Alyssa holds her gaze for a long moment. “Be careful.”

Emma nods. “You too.”

* * *

The inn of St. James isn’t as pristine as the one her mother owns, but Alyssa still feels reasonably relaxed when she steps inside and heads to the front desk.

“Hello, traveler,” the woman there says. “How can I help you?”

“I was wondering if you had a room available for my traveling companion and me. She’s taking a look around to see the layout of the town so we know where we can buy supplies before we head back out.”

“Ah, where’re you heading?”

“We don’t have a specific destination in mind, but we’re heading in the direction of the coast. Just looking for better opportunities, you know how it is.”

“Right, right. Well, I think I might have room for you. My two person suite is booked, but if you’ve been traveling the trails, I’d imagine that you’re comfortable enough with each other to share?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The woman gives her a friendly smile and leans forward. “It’s ten gold per person per night. But before I can rent to you, I need to ask you a question. Don’t lie to me now, stranger.”

Alyssa’s jaw tenses. “Yes, ma’am?”

“You’re not a fucking heathen, are you?” The woman brings her hand out from under her desk, and Alyssa sees a revolver pointed right at her chest. “Because if you’re a heathen, girl, I’ll have to shoot you.”

Alyssa swallows. “N-No, ma’am. I’m not a heathen.”

“Excellent.” The innkeeper puts her gun down and picks up a room key, handing it to Alyssa. “That’ll be room two. Have a nice night.”

* * *

“Yeah,” Emma mumbles under her breath as she walks through town. “This isn’t a good place.” She heads towards the inn, but she freezes when a man steps in front of her. He’s tall and imposing, in a gray shirt, gray pants, and navy blue waistcoat.

The revolver on his hip looks bigger than Emma’s head.

“Howdy, stranger,” he says quietly. “What brings you around these parts?”

“Just passing through. My friend and I are headed towards the coast.”

“Yeah? Well, if you need supplies, we have plenty of them at the general store. Feel free to stop in before you ride out.”

“Will do.”

He sets his hands on his hips. “It’s strange. I feel like I know you from somewhere.”

“I’m not sure, sir. This is my first time in St. James.”

“Hm. Well, keep your business clean and righteous, and there won’t be any trouble.”

Emma nods. “I can certainly manage that. Goodnight, sir.”

* * *

“You were right,” Alyssa says once the door to their room is shut and locked. “The innkeeper asked me if I was a ‘heathen’ and threatened to shoot me if I said yes.”

Emma scoffs and sets her hat and gun belt down on the top of the dresser. “That’s not a great sign. We should do this as quickly as we can tomorrow and get out of here.”

“Agreed.” Alyssa unbuttons her waistcoat and pulls it off. “God. I just… I don’t know if I can... Why did I have to chase this, Emma? I think I might’ve been happier thinking he’d been murdered.”

“No, you wouldn’t have.” Emma kneels down in front of her, her hands resting on Alyssa’s legs. “You were so angry, Alyssa. So lost. It would’ve killed you to not know. Whatever we find,  _ knowing _ is the only way you’ll be able to move on.”

“You’re right,” Alyssa whispers. “I know you’re right.”

“Come on. You need to get some sleep.” Emma lowers her hand to Alyssa’s boot and hesitates only a moment before carefully pulling it off of her foot. She avoids Alyssa’s gaze as she moves on to the other, then slides her hands up to the button of Alyssa’s pants and stops. “I’m not doing this to get my hands on you,” she says softly. “I just… I don’t know, Lys. I want to be takin’ care of you.”

Alyssa reaches out and tilts her chin up, meeting her gaze. “If that’s what you want, cowboy, then why don’t you take care of me?”

Emma stands and presses a soft, slow kiss to Alyssa’s lips. She unbuttons Alyssa’s dark gray pants and pulls them off along with her socks. She sets all three items carefully on a chair, then begins to unbutton Alyssa’s shirt.

Alyssa gives a tired sigh and leans her head back. “Em.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

Emma laughs shortly as she helps Alyssa out of her shirt. “Believe me, this is hardly a burden.”

“I don’t mean for this. I mean for helping me find my father. Keeping me on track. I know it can’t have been easy to trust a stranger.”

“It couldn’t have been easy to trust a wanted train robber, either.”

With a sharp laugh, Alyssa nods. “True. But at least I know you’re innocent.” She prods Emma in the chest. “You  _ are _ really innocent, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then we’re fine.” Alyssa lies down, gripping Emma’s suspenders so she can tug her down on top of her.

“I…” Emma sets her hands on either side of Alyssa’s head, propping herself up. “Alyssa, there  _ is _ something that you should know, though. I told you the truth when I said I didn’t do it. But I lied when I told you why they think I did.”

Alyssa’s brow furrows, but she doesn’t let Emma go. “Tell me.”

“We… There was a train that stopped in my town to collect more coal. It carried supplies to the fort up river. They lived like kings there. Anything you could ever want for, they got it on that train, while we starved in the valley. One day, my cousin just… had enough. While the train was stopped, he snuck in with a few friends and stole the food crates. The clothing. The medicine. Things we had needed for so long, things that we were dying without. They dispersed them throughout town, but they weren’t able to get rid of the crates before the soldiers found them in my grandmother’s barn. And I made a decision. It was plausible that with magic I could’ve done it all by myself. So it was me, or all of those people who had taken a risk to protect their people. I made the right choice.”

Alyssa lifts one hand to cup Emma’s cheek. “Did you think that would make me see you differently? You’re an honorable woman, Emma Nolan.”

Emma shakes her head. “No. If I was honorable, I would’ve had the courage to stay and take the prison sentence. I was a coward. I ran.”

“You’re not a coward. I promise you aren’t.” Alyssa pulls her down and kisses her.

The kiss deepens, grows, until Emma suddenly backs off, panting. “Sorry,” she says to Alyssa’s frown. “It’s just. I was doing my best to get you relaxed and convincing you that you needed to get some sleep. This isn’t really helping.”

Alyssa sets her hands on Emma’s chest and then slowly, purposefully, wraps them around her suspenders. “Maybe it won’t help  _ you, _ but who says it won’t help  _ me?” _

Emma runs her tongue over her lower lip. She’s about to lean down to kiss Alyssa’s when she hears a noise at the door. “What the fuck is-”

She pales when the door unlocks and opens, and the man she had spoken to earlier steps into the room, a gun aimed right at her head.

Emma glances from him, to Alyssa, then back, and slowly pulls herself out of Alyssa’s grip, sitting back on her heels with her hands raised. “I don’t know what you think is-”

“Shut up, outlaw,” the man growls, stepping into the room and shutting the door behind him. “Did you think no one would recognize you? I hunt heathen criminals like you. That’s why I recognized you. From your wanted poster.”

“Ah.” Emma clears her throat. “Well. Shit.” She glances at her revolver, sitting on the dresser next to her hat. “Look, we can-”

“Father?”

Emma’s gaze snaps back to Alyssa, who’s staring at the man with a stunned look on her face.

The man blinks at Alyssa. “Hell,” he whispers.

“I have to say,” Emma mumbles. “As far as ways to meet your dad go, this has to be one of the worst possible options.”

Greene ignores her, focused on Alyssa. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I  _ doing _ here?” Alyssa growls, furious. “You-” She tries to get up but stops, trapped between Emma’s legs. “Can you…”

“Uh, I’m a little…” Emma nods at the gun.

Alyssa sighs. “Father, can you put that down? She’s not a threat.”

Greene scoffs. “Not a threat? Daughter, she’s a criminal.”

“She’s not. I can explain, but I can’t do that if you’re pointing a gun at her face.”

There’s a long pause, then Greene holsters his revolver. “Do you want to tell me what you’re doing with someone like her?”

Alyssa gets up and grabs her shirt, pulling it back on to cover herself. “I really don’t feel like I need to explain myself to you. Not when you owe me a hell of an explanation yourself.”

“I don’t need to explain anything to you.”

_ “Yeah, you kind of do!” _ Alyssa clenches her hands into fists. “You left! You left to go on some big fucking adventure, and you abandoned your family! For  _ what? _ To stalk criminals and magicians? I used to look up to you!”

Greene shakes his head, playing with the sleeve of his shirt. “You have no idea of the choices that I made to protect our family.”

Alyssa laughs.  _ “Our _ family? If it was  _ our _ family, you wouldn’t have left.”

“I  _ had _ to.”

_ “Why?” _

“Because he’s a magician.”

Alyssa turns to Emma. “What?”

Emma’s eyes narrow as she looks at Greene. “You’re a magician. That’s how you find most of your targets. You can see their tattoos. You couldn’t see mine, and that’s why it took time for you to realize who I am.”

Greene takes in a slow breath and closes his eyes for a moment before looking at Alyssa. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I could never figure out a way to tell your mother. I didn’t want to bring that shame down on either of you. I thought that if I stayed away and used this evil for some good, I’d be able to make up for it.”

“Father, it’s  _ not _ evil. It’s just different.” Alyssa sighs. “And if you think otherwise, then you’ll have to hate me, too.”

“Alyssa, don’t-” Emma starts.

The words go ignored as Alyssa pushes up her sleeve and shows her father the black band on her forearm.

Greene stares at it, eyes wide. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I’m so sorry. I brought this on you.”

“It’s not a curse, Father. It’s just who I am.” Alyssa walks over to Emma and puts an arm around her waist, leaning on her shoulder. “My friend is helping me control it. Helping me understand it. She’s making sure that no one gets hurt because I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Why would a criminal like you do something like that?” Greene asks, looking at Emma through narrowed eyes.

Emma shrugs and shakes her head. “I’m innocent of the crime I’m charged with. And I love your daughter.”

Alyssa looks up at her sharply.

“I actually believe you. I don’t know if that says more about you or about me.”

“Father, please. You don’t need to arrest her. She didn’t do this. I swear she didn’t.”

Greene sets his hands on his hips. “You know. The last time I saw you, you were nine years old. Tiny. I couldn’t picture you as a teenager, let alone the woman I’m seeing here now. You’re… hell, how long has it been?”

Alyssa’s jaw tenses. “Eleven years.”

“Wow. You grew up.” He rubs the back of his neck. “I guess the least that I can do is trust you.” He turns towards the door. “I’ll grab some supplies and leave them by your horses. You need to leave tonight. In this town, you’ll be sniffed out if you stay too long. It’s not safe.”

“Father. Wait.” Alyssa takes a step towards him. “Come  _ home. _ We can explain it to Mother together. She’ll understand.”

“She won’t.” Greene gives her a thin smile. “And even if she did, I couldn’t go back. This is my life now, honey. I’m sorry.” He reaches out and gently pats her cheek. “Try to have a good life in spite of what we are.”

He walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Alyssa just stands there, staring straight ahead.

“Lys?” Emma murmurs, setting her hand on Alyssa’s shoulder.

“I think I understand now. The closure that I needed. It wasn’t vengeance or forgiveness or even getting a real explanation.” She turns to face Emma, tears in her eyes. “I needed to accept that he’s not coming back. That he really did abandon us. That he’s not my family anymore. I needed to know for sure. Now I do.”

Emma brushes her knuckles against Alyssa’s cheek, wiping away a tear. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.

Alyssa swallows. “I’m not.” She hugs Emma tightly, crying against her chest.

Emma just holds her in the dark room, pressing soft kisses to the top of her head. “Come on, darling. Get dressed. I know you’re tired, but we have to go.”

* * *

Their supplies are all put onto Alyssa’s horse, and Emma and Alyssa both get on Emma’s horse, Alyssa leaning back against her, nearly asleep as they ride quietly out of St. James.

“Em,” Alyssa says through a yawn. “Where are we going to go now?”

“I don’t know.”

“Mm. Go to Edgewater.”

“Edgewater?”

“I want to talk to our sheriff. Do you trust me?”

“With my life.”

Alyssa smiles. “Good. Might need it.”

Emma snorts. “Sounds promising.”

She gets no answer from the woman sleeping against her as they ride under the moonlight.


End file.
